Image: Mark Avellino
Promotion hopefuls Keilor Park have bolstered their rearguard with the triple signing of NPL-based defenders Ryan Filipovic, Steve Cudrig and Dean Campelj.
It’s the latest in a busy off-season for Paul Falzon’s men, who take their total additions to seven, as they look to traverse what looks to be an immensely competitive State League One campaign.
Former Werribee teammates Filipovic and Cudrig were part of a formidable defence for the Bees’ inaugural NPL campaign in 2014, as the club narrowly avoided relegation from the top-flight.
Of the central defensive partnership, Filipovic had signed for St Albans before departing earlier this year.
Prior to his move to Dinamo, Filipovic spent stints with Western Suburbs and most notably Melbourne Knights, where he spent four seasons with the club before moving to Galvin Park under the stewardship of Nino Ragusa.
After helping the Bees stay afloat in 2014, Filipovic experienced relegation to the second tier the following campaign after a 13th placed finish.
A short stint at Altona City in 2016 followed, before joining Keilor via St Albans.
Cudrig joins directly for Werribee City, having spent the latter half of the season there after signing from Hume City.
The former Altona Magic man enjoyed a first stint at Galvin Park in 2014-2015, where the imposing defender made 48 appearances, scoring seven goals in the process.
Signing for Hume ahead of the 2016 campaign, Cudrig found game time hard to come by in a star-studded squad, making just three appearances before completing a mid-season switch to Werribee under Serge Sabbadini.
He assisted in helping the club turn around a slow start to the season to finish in a respectable eighth place.
Campelj joins from Moreland Zebras, where he made 25 appearances in the 2016 NPL2 East campaign.
The former Green Gully junior Player of the Year earned his senior stripes with Avondale FC – then Avondale Heights – in their 2013 State League 2 campaign.
As a teenager, Campelj was a part of Anthony Barbieri’s promotion winning side in 2014, earning rave reviews for his performances in the heart of defence as they conceded a miserly 25 goals in 26 games.
A hip injury in sustained in the back end of the 2014 season kept Campelj out until the midway point of the 2015 season.
The youngster completed a move to Melbourne Knights in the 2016 pre-season, before ultimately signing for Moreland Zebras, where he featured alongside fellow Keilor Park signing Joel Nikolic.
The trio join the aforementioned Nikolic, Altona East pair Damir Marusic and Josh Marignano, as well as Englishman Jack Satterley as new additions to their promotion-chasing squad.